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- http://www.archive.org/stream/cu31924028819435/cu31924028819435_djvu.txt
"Cyrel Read Brown, the youngest of the family, remained on the farm with his parents, and received the usual edu- cation afforded by the town schools, with the addition of private instruction by Rev. J. Vaill ; he commenced teaching when eighteen years old, and with one excep- tion taught for sixteen successive winters, when, owing to the increasing cares of his farm and family, he was obliged to relinquish the profession, although through life he was active in the cause of education, serving as one of the board of school committee eight years. Resid- ing four miles from the center of the town in one of the small school districts, he felt keenly the inequality and injustice of the method for the division of the money raised for the support of schools ; allowing to each dis- trict only the amount they paid, while he claimed and advocated that every pupil in town was entitled to equal rights and so far as their location would permit, should receive equal advantages from the money raised for schools ; he lived to see this principle adopted by the town, and the school district system abolished years be- fore the compulsory statute for that purpose. In this as in other matters he was governed by the principle of " the greatest good to the greatest number." In 1853, he left his farm in the care of his son and removed to Westfield where he resided several years to give his daughters an opportunity to attend the Normal School and qualify for teaching. Mr. Brown was often elected to town office, serving eight years as assessor, five years as selectman, and in many other offices, discharging .the duties in all with credit to himself and to the acceptance of his fellow townsmen. From boyhood he was interested in the military profession. In 1822, August 26, he was chosen Ensign of the West Militia Company of Brimfield ; was elected Lieutenant 1823, July 24, and Captain 1827, July 5. In 1828, on petition of Cyrel R. Brown and others the West company of Militia was disbanded, and the petitioners were authorized to raise by voluntary en- listments a rifle company, "provided forty-five members are enrolled." These conditions having been fulfilled, 1828, May 6, Mr. Brown was elected captain of the com- pany. While under his command the company was noted for accuracy of drill, precision of movement, soldierly bearing and deportment. Captain Brown was elected major of the regiment, but declining to accept the posi- tion, he continued in command of the company for three years when he resigned his commission and retired from active participation in military affairs. At the re-union of the company September 22, 1862, forty-five members present; July 4, 1865, forty-four members present, and July 4, 1866, at the dedication of the soldiers' monument, forty members present. He, as senior captain, was in command for the day, as erect and with the martial spirit of his youthful days. In November, 1831, he united with the Congregational Church and through life was one of its most active and influential members. He was chosen Deacon November 22, 1838, and held the office till his decease, nearly thirty- one years. His interest in the cause of education led him to take an active interest in the Sunday-school con- nected with the Church, of which he was Superintendent for nearly twenty-five years, discharging the varied duties of the office with marked ability, and to the acceptance of the Church and community. He died of apoplexy, September 4, 1869, eleven days previous to the celebra- tion of the fiftieth anniversary of the organization of the Sunday-school, and to which, knowing as he did more of the school and its scholars than any other person, he was expected to present much that would add to the interest of the occasion. Much might be added in commendation of the charac- ter and services of Deacon Brown, but his long continued, varied and successful service for the public, both civil and religious, is a better eulogy upon his character than any we can give. He married June 14, 1821, Mary, daugh- ter of Oliver Blair. They had nine children, six of whom survive him."
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The H600 Project Genealogy DB
- 1869
, d. 10 Dec 1881, Springfield, Hampden Co, Massachusetts, USA